There is an old Chinese tale about a woman whose only son died. In her grief, she went to the holy man and said, “What prayers, what magical incantations do you have to bring my son back to life?”

Instead of sending her away or reasoning with her, he said to her, “Fetch me a mustard seed from a home that has never known sorrow. We will use it to drive the sorrow out of your life.” The woman went off at once in search of that magical mustard seed.

She came first to a splendid mansion, knocked at the door, and said, “I am looking for a home that has never known sorrow. Is this such a place? It is very important to me.”

They told her, “You’ve certainly come to the wrong place,” and began to describe all the tragic things that recently had befallen them…

“Class, what am I holding in my hand?” said the teacher who was very good at dealing with young minds.

A student near the front of the room was called upon and said, “It is a ten-dollar bill”

The teacher dropped the bill on the floor and stepped on it several of times, squishing it between her feet. The paper money was dirty and crumpled as she picked it up and handed it to one student. She asked each student to examine the bill then pass it around.

After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, “I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you.” The other woman my wife wanted me to visit was my mother, who has been a widow for 19 years…